When talking about hybrids, these are gasoline-electric or diesel-electric cars. The Toyota brand is characterized by making completely reliable cars in every way, however, its hybrid versions have presented a series of flaws. Meet 5 problems in hybrid cars Toyota that you have to be aware, These include batteries that do not stay charged, low fuel consumption in cold weather, high oil consumption, accelerator pedal and inverter failure.
5 Toyota Hybrid Car Problems You Shouldn’t Ignore
1. Batteries do not stay charged
Currently there is some concern about Toyota’s hybrid cars in terms of their batteries. Generally, hybrid cars come with 12 volt batterysimilar to what normal vehicles have. Powers the various accessories in the car, plus helps drive some loads from the main high-voltage hybrid battery. The failure occurs because it does not have the capacity to do so, due to wear. It’s all because hybrid Toyotas like RAV4the battery can be depleted, in case it is not driven for several days, which leads to the cars being idle for some time, because the 12 volt battery helps start the car.
It is very true that this fault is common in regular cars, but, in Toyota hybrid cars has been a common problem. Under normal conditions the batteries could run for up to several weeks without losing power. However, it is important to consider, high-voltage batteries in hybrids can lose power if left idle for a long time, because electrical power is hard to store.
What are the symptoms of a dead battery in hybrid cars
Among the main signs that you can notice when a 12-volt battery, or a high-voltage battery in a Toyota hybrid car, is wearing out, is when there is:
- Engine noises like grinding
- delayed start
- Reduces fuel economy
- dim headlights
2. Low fuel consumption in cold weather
Hybrid cars are the balance between gasoline and electric vehicles. For the generally consume less fueldBecause hybrid engines can get more than 50 miles per gallon on a typical day. The hybrid Toyota Corrolla can even get up to 86 kilometers (54 miles) per gallon in the right conditions. Although, when you have failures with high voltage batteries, the engine burns more fuel. This often happens in cold weather. It is because the colder temperatures affect the proper functioning of the battery, all because the cold slows down the chemical processes.
A Because of this, the batteries have to exert more effort, which generates stress and reduces performance, as a result the engine consumes more fuel.. It is common that the Toyota Corolla in winter times does not help to save gasoline. Many Corolla owners have complained and been discouraged about fuel economy in freezing weather.
3. High oil consumption
Initially the high oil consumption is not complicated, however, with the passage of time it becomes a failure, especially since the car cannot run out of this vital liquid, it can be serious for the life of the engine. The Toyota’s Camry model is famous for being a heavy consumer of motor oilis something unusual assuming that hybrid cars consume less amount of oil than normal gasoline cars. It seems that Camry Hybrid ignores this flaw, but 2008-2011 versions are reportedly best avoided.
Some motor parts Like the pistons and rings can wear out prematurely, leading to oil leaks. Another cause for excessive oil leaks in the engine is the drain plug. High oil consumption can be caused by leaks in various engine components.
4. Accelerator pedal problems
A speeding car is only exhausting, this is the case in some Toyota hybrid versions can accelerate even when the accelerator is not pressed. Although it is worth noting, stepping on the brake pedal may not be enough to bring the car to a stop. This fault has been one of the most serious that any driver can face while he is driving. Hybrid Camry is one of the models that has accumulated the largest number of reports for this problem, it affects the first and second generation models.
Another event is when the car accelerates by itself after disengaging from “Park”. Some hybrid versions of toyota highlander they have filed this bug. Events of this type have been seen as coincidences or as a result of driver error. But, on these cars, the number of complaints is large, so it is difficult to ignore them. A defective pedal usually causes accidents, even causing serious injury or death to its occupants. The Toyota house was forced to withdraw many cars of different models to correct the fault. It is worth noting that this terrible accelerator pedal failure has affected non-hybrid Toyota models. Toyota’s advanced versions may not have the wary faulty accelerator pedals.
Causes
At first it was estimated that the fault was caused by the carpets, which caused the pedals to get stuck. Although, this theory did not give credibility because the drivers removed the carpets from the floor of the car and the fault continued. Certainly, perhaps the error could be made by the driver, but the number of complaints was too high to blame the owners of the cars.
5. Possible inverter malfunction
Inverters are devices responsible for converting energy in hybrid and electric cars. This component may be located next to the battery and motor. Hybrid and electric cars store energy in the form of direct current (DC) in batteries. But, the problem is that electric motors use alternating current (AC) to run..
The investor intervenes in this process, because turns the current direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) so that the electric motor can run. It can be seen how the inverter significantly affects the entire hybrid system when it fails. But, the silver lining with a faulty inverter doesn’t immobilize a hybrid car, much different than a fully electric vehicle. When the electric motor stops working in hybrids, the engine revs up. The inverter, when presenting problems, immediately affects the hybrid fuel economy, all because the engine does not work correctly. The hybrid inverter assembly on certain versions of toyota priusincluding 2010 to 2014 models, may malfunction.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Toyota Hybrid Cars
It is important to know the pros and cons of a Toyota hybrid, before buying one of this version. They are listed below:
Advantages
- reduced emissions
- modern security features
- reliable engine
- Lower regular maintenance cost
- Relatively low purchase prices
Disadvantages
- Low gas mileage on the highway
- weak batteries
- accelerator pedal failure
- high oil consumption
- requires regular use
The comments
According to complaints the worst problem with Toyota hybrid cars is linked to the engine. While other common failures refer to the brakes, airbags, and transmission. The Toyota brand enjoys a good reputation for reliability. It’s no surprise that Toyota has a 4.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating on RepairPal.
The Prius earned a rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 from RepairPal. It can be said that the reliability of the Toyota Prius is higher than that of the average Toyota.
The 2021 RAV4 Hybrid earns an amazing 80 out of 100 rating for quality and reliability from JD Power.
These ratings point out that Toyota’s top hybrids seem to perform very well as individual models.
Resume
Car brands that have problems tend to continually improve them. As is the case with Toyota, hybrid versions just offer more reliability. If you’re interested in hybrids for their outstanding fuel economy, you should consider the effect of regenerative braking. Hybrids pool the energy used to slow or stop the car to power the batteries.
Drivers tend to brake less frequently while driving on highways, resulting in lower fuel economy. But, in traffic or around town, fuel economy improves – it’s all due to regular braking. It’s the opposite of regular gas cars, they get better fuel economy on the highway than in the city. If you are looking to save fuel, it is best to buy a plug-in hybrid. The RAV4 plug-in hybrid and Pris Prime are great options in this segment.
Writing Gossipvehicle